LOS ANGELES : Expansion Proposed for Human Relations Panel

A Los Angeles City Council committee has proposed expanding the city’s Human Relations Commission from nine members to 11 because Mayor Richard Riordan did not name any Latinos to the citizen’s panel.

The council’s Arts, Health & Humanities Committee, which approved of Riordan’s nominations, proposed the expansion to ease Councilman Mike Hernandez’s objections to the lack of Latino representation, officials said.

A Riordan spokesman said the mayor has no objection to expanding the commission and would appoint qualified nominees, although he did not commit to naming a Latino to the group.